GOVERNMENT has announced that the country is on course to meet its target of producing 600,000 metric tonnes of winter wheat by the end of the 2024/25 winter cropping season, a key milestone in its drive towards food security and self-sufficiency.
As the nation approaches the peak of the 2024/25 winter wheat production cycle, harvesting is expected to commence shortly.
In an interview with this publication this Wednesday, the permanent secretary in the ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Obert Jiri expressed confidence in the country’s ability to meet its production goals.
“We are reaching the twilight phase of our wheat production. Most of the wheat has now progressed to the hard-dough stage, indicating that in about two to three weeks, we will begin the harvesting process,” Prof Jiri stated.
He stressed the significance of the next few weeks, emphasizing that the entire 121,962 hectares of wheat remain crucial to the country’s food security goals.
“At this stage, our main concern is to ensure the protection of the crop; we are particularly vigilant against threats like the quelea bird, which could jeopardize the yield we’ve worked hard to secure. The success of this harvest is pivotal for our nation’s drive towards self-sufficiency in food production, and we are committed to seeing it through,”
“To combat these threats, the government has intensified quelea bird control measures deploying ground and air forces to protect the crop, using vehicle-mounted sprayers, knapsack sprayers, and drones to manage quelea sightings wherever necessary,” Jiri added.
Meanwhile, Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services acting chief director, Leonard Munamati visited Chingonzo’s farm, in Macheke, Murtha District, where 40 hectares have been planted under wheat. The farm is expected to yield between 7-9 tonnes per hectare.
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“The focus now is on good agronomic practices, quelea control, and the timely harvesting of the crop, with the onset of early rains a real possibility, it’s crucial that farmers begin preparing for harvest now. Delays could result in significant losses, so we are encouraging everyone to book their combine harvesters in advance to ensure a smooth and efficient harvesting process,” Munamati highlighted.
Chingonzo also urged fellow farmers to start preparing for the harvest by booking combine harvesters early to avoid losses from the anticipated early rains.
In preparation for the upcoming harvest, the government has mobilized nearly 200 combine harvesters to ensure the efficient gathering of the crop.
As the country nears the final stages of this year’s wheat production cycle, the government remains optimistic that the 600,000 metric tonnes target will be achieved, marking a significant step towards ensuring national food security.
